Is this racist

[postitgirl]

So DS says some boys at school are picking on him - he's Year 8. Today they had to move places in the classroom and he's ended up beside these 2 'mean' boys. They said to him 'just shut up and go back to Ireland to eat your potatoes'. I think that's racist - or what do you think.

YABU - not racist
YANBU - racist

@Bottleup

Absolutely racist and it's awful seeing people on here saying it's not. Report to the school - hope your sons okay.

It is xenophobia, not racism. Racism is towards a race. Xenophobia is aimed at a specific country. I say this as someone who is mixed race.

The Equality Act definition has been posted upthread a couple of times by now. Racism includes descrimination on the basis of nationality or ethnicity.

I understand that Rodicus21. My response was to Pixxie who assumes that Irish = NI and therefore Irish = UK. I'm reminding pixxie that the OP said Irish, not British in relation to race.

Pixxie...Firstly, the OP never mentioned Northern Ireland. I don't know where you are coming from stating that NI is a part of the UK in the context of this thread. Unless I missed a post where the OP specifically said that her ds is from NI?

And where did Welsh come from chainjane? Genuine question.

The "british isles" is not an official term or officially recognised.

@ PatchyTwat
I was going to say the same I have a boy the same age. He wouldn’t know that sort of connection to people from Ireland.

@Pixxie7

In the broadest sense it could be interpreted as being racist, but in the case of kids they probably didn’t intend to make a racist comment. I really wouldn’t make a big issue of it though as it could equally interpreted differently.

What an absolutely appalling attitude you have. Are you normally in the habit of denying blatant acts of racism?

I thought that Lipsandlashes. It's a lot of effort to minimise a child being subjected to racism.

Sadly it doesn't surprise me. I've had to speak to parents about racism and have had the parent say "DC isn't racist. They're just saying (repeat the racist thing). They shouldn't have been mean, but it wasn't racist. The problem is everything is considered racist these days"

@CoralSparkles - It is xenophobia, not racism. Racism is towards a race. Xenophobia is aimed at a specific country. I say this as someone who is mixed race.

As multiple people have already pointed out, according to the equalities act, it is racism. While the dictionary definitions of racism and xenophobia are different, from a legal perspective, both are defined as racism.

@Bobrosspaintbrush

@ PatchyTwat I was going to say the same I have a boy the same age. He wouldn’t know that sort of connection to people from Ireland.

Racism is generally learned behaviour. It obviously comes from the parents.

However, by stating your child of the same age wouldn't know the connection you appear to be casting doubt on the likelihood of something like this happening. This is a very common attitude in England. Many, many english people are racist towards Irish but claim "it's only banter", "can you not take a joke" etc. They absolutely deny that they are racist as after all, the Irish person they are slagging off is white and it's only a bit of fun. Believe me, it's not a bit of fun when you're repeatedly on the receiving end.

Yes, it's racist. You could split hairs about the distinction between racism and xenophobia, but in practice it tends to come to the same thing, especially when one is discriminating against citizens of one's own country on the basis of their national origin. It would be a good idea to contact the school about it.

@ddl1

Yes, it's racist. You could split hairs about the distinction between racism and xenophobia, but in practice it tends to come to the same thing, especially when one is discriminating against citizens of one's own country on the basis of their national origin. It would be a good idea to contact the school about it.

The op stated he is Irish, not a citizen of the UK. I have never heard of an Irish person taking UK citizenship as we have freedom of movement within the UK (and vice versa) so it is highly unlikely he is a british citizen. Resident yes, citizen, no.

Not that that stops many english (it doesn't seem to be the same problem with welsh or scottish) people from assuming Ireland is part of the UK. Ireland is an independent country.

Absolutely racist. Poor lad.

Ffs, xenophobia is no different to racism. The boy can't change his ethnicity and culture. Stop suggesting that it is somehow less painful.

I'd be interested to hear what else got said.

@RedHelenB

I'd be interested to hear what else got said.

Are you suggesting that the op's ds may be to blame for the racist comment in some way?

Absolutely racist OP.
Anti-Irish attitudes are still very much alive and well in the UK.
I had to remove my DD from mainstream school due to amount of bullying and 'joke' comments from both pupils and faculty.

The op stated he is Irish, not a citizen of the UK. I have never heard of an Irish person taking UK citizenship as we have freedom of movement within the UK (and vice versa) so it is highly unlikely he is a british citizen. Resident yes, citizen, no.

OK - I expressed this badly, probably because of preoccupation with racism/xenophobia toward EU citizens living in the UK. My real point was that it is bad enough to stereotype and slander other countries ('Ireland is such a ghastly country, and they all live on potatoes!') but worse to stereotype and stander and, in this case, bully individuals living in your country because of their national origin.

@ddl1

The op stated he is Irish, not a citizen of the UK. I have never heard of an Irish person taking UK citizenship as we have freedom of movement within the UK (and vice versa) so it is highly unlikely he is a british citizen. Resident yes, citizen, no.

OK - I expressed this badly, probably because of preoccupation with racism/xenophobia toward EU citizens living in the UK. My real point was that it is bad enough to stereotype and slander other countries ('Ireland is such a ghastly country, and they all live on potatoes!') but worse to stereotype and stander and, in this case, bully individuals living in your country because of their national origin.

I see no difference. It doesn't matter if the victim lives in your country, is just visiting, you are in their country or you are both in a different country. Racism is racism.

@OchonAgusOchonOh not necessarily but it seems an odd out of the blue comment.

[quote RedHelenB]@OchonAgusOchonOh not necessarily but it seems an odd out of the blue comment.[/quote]
@RedHelenB - So victims of racist abuse can be at fault?

A very common theme in the anti-Irish rhetoric so frequently encountered in the UK.

Check Wikipedia Northern Ireland is part of the uk, I am not being provocative or anything else. Although I agree this was a racist comment or at the very least bullying, I simply pointed out that why it might be perceived as being different.

[quote OchonAgusOchonOh]**@CoralSparkles* - It is xenophobia, not racism. Racism is towards a race. Xenophobia is aimed at a specific country. I say this as someone who is mixed race.*

As multiple people have already pointed out, according to the equalities act, it is racism. While the dictionary definitions of racism and xenophobia are different, from a legal perspective, both are defined as racism.[/quote]
You don’t call someone who is 1/2 English and 1/2 Irish “mixed race.” OP’s DS is being bullied, but this isn’t racism. It’s xenophobia (aimed at a specific country).

It isn't racism at all. Irish isn't a race. It is, however, majorly xenophobic and nasty and needs nipping in the bud.

@Pixxie7 - Check Wikipedia Northern Ireland is part of the uk, I am not being provocative or anything else. Although I agree this was a racist comment or at the very least bullying, I simply pointed out that why it might be perceived as being different

It doesn't make a whit of difference whether NI is in the UK or not. Those in NI who identify as Irish only are a different nationality and so, it is racism according to the equality act.

The only way the comment could be perceived as anything other than racist would be if you are racist and trying to excuse it on the grounds that racism only counts if the victim is x or y.

@CoralSparkles - but this isn’t racism. It’s xenophobia (aimed at a specific country).

You've been referred to the equality act multiple times where discrimination on the basis of nationality is defined as racism. While it might be xenophobic from a semantic perspective, it is racism from a legal perspective.

@Emmylou1985 - the same point applies to your comment.

Focusing on the semantics rather than the content comes across as minimising the incident.